Landing gear for aircraft



Feb. 6, 1940.

c. E. WEAVER LANDING GEAR FOR AIRCRAFT Filed NOV. 30; 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 [nvefiiar ZesE (saver Feb. 6, 1940- c. E. WEAVER LANDING GEAR FOR AIRCRAFT Filed Nov. 50, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 [Que 71/2501" Zs E ever Feb. 6, 1940. c. E. WEAVER LANDING GEAR FOR AIRCRAFT 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov. 30, 1937 I I I I I I l I I I I I I I I I I I I I K I I ||l| IIHIJI x x x A fnwenfor (Mk-SE Wave Atorney Patented Feb. 6, 1940 v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I I 2,189,093 I I 1 LANDING GEAR FOR AIRCRAFT Charles EQWeaver, Watertown, N. Y. Application November 30', 1937, SerialNo. 177,363

1 Claim.

This invention relates to landing gear for aircraft of the type disclosed in my patent'numbered 2,078,823, issued April 27, 1937, and it con-' and in which visual indicatormeans are simultaneously operated with movement of the gear to indicate to the pilot the exact position of the landinggear. j

It is a still further object of the invention to provide means in which shock to the craft; and

operating means for'the landing gear is cushioned, especially when landing upon water.

Additional objects, advantages and features 2. of invention will be apparent from the following description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein-- Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view'of a craft constructed in accordance with my invention, showing the landing gear as used when alighting upon water. v

v Figure 2 is an enlarged-cross sectional view illustrating the gearin position for alighting' upon land. v

Figure 3 is a detail, in side elevation, of one of the landing wheels. I I

Figure ,4. is an enlarged fragmentary view thereof, partly in'section, illustrating the mount- 'ing of the wheel.

Figure- 5'is a longitudinal sectional view of the air cylinder and associated means for actuating the landing gear and the visual indicator means.

Figure 6 is a plan view of the indicator means, partly broken away.

Figure 7 is a sectional view illustrating the air-release lock for certain of the landing wheels.

Figure8 is a side elevation thereof. Figure 9 is a top plan View of a clip employed for maintaining the fifth wheel in raisedposition. 50 Figure 10 is a plan View of the lock operating means. t I I Attention is first invited to Figures 1 and 2 wherein I have illustrated a craft I0 having fore and aftrotors not shown driven by means of a 55 prime mover and shafting. I2. The operation of in Figure 7.

the rotors. for raising of the craft has been fully explained in my prior Patent No. 2,078,823 audit is not believed necessary to discuss the operation here for pro-per understanding of the landing gear mechanism, which will now be described.

Within the body of the craft I0, along each longitudinal side there is revolubly mounted a driven shaft I3, terminating inwardly of the fore and aft ends of the body. The shafts I3 are spaced close to respective sides of the body and upon the ends thereof respective gears I 4 are I keyed, adapted to mesh with respective segmental gears I5 journalled upon a'shaft I 6 disposed upon the exterior of the body I0.

The shafts I 6 are revolubly mounted between bearings Ilia.

Each 'of'the segmentalgears I 5 includes an arm I5 forked'at its free endand between the forks there is revolubly mounted a wheel having a buoyant tire 2|. The tires are preferably pneu- .matic, of the balloon or mushroom type so that in the horizontal position'of the Wheels the tires I will act asIpontoons or stabilizers when landing on water.

The arms I5" are of such length as to extend N well below the bottom of the craft to. maintain the craft above the ground when the wheels are in the vertical positions for use upon land, and in order to affordstability to the arms I5 diagonal braces I? are employed, one end being connected to the axles of the wheels while the other ends are swingably connected at IT to the sides of the craft.

From the foregoing, itwill be seen that four landing wheels are employed, two upon either side of the craft, and'that the wheels and the arms I5 are swingable from a vertical position as shown in Figure 2 to a horizontal position, as shown in Figure l, and'movable still further to a housed position, as indicated in dotted lines in Figure k In order that the wheels 20 and their associated arms I5: may be positively retained in eitherof the positions stated, I have provided a locking segment I8, one for each arm I5 and this segment is keyed to the shaft I5, as clearly shown In the periphery of the segment, at suitable points, there are formed notches I8a and I81) cooperablev with a detent plunger I 9a reciprocably' mounted within a cylinder I9. In the position shown in Figure '7, thenotch I8a functions to maintain the wheel in its vertical position, but with release of the plunger I951. the segment, upon rotation of the shaft I6, will be moved so that the notch I812 will receive the '55 rafo plunger I91: and thus hold the arm l5 in the vertical upward position.

The cylinder I9 is enlarged at its outer end to accommodate a piston head of the plunger: 19a, the latter normally occupying a position intermediate the length of the enlargement, and a helical spring l9b is interposed between the head and the closed end of the cylinder, the spring being of such strength as to force the plunger into the notches lfia, and [8171, as the case may be. The enlarged "portion of the cylinder is tapped at a point below the piston head and receives a pipe 190, admitting air below the head, acting against the spring 19?) for the purpose of' raising the plunger Na and releasing the .segment is, the spring lab projecting the plunger upon release of the air, as will be understood, as the description proceeds.

In order that the arms wheels 2G may be moved from their vertical -positionsvasshown in Figure 2 to a horizontal position shown ;in Figure 1,-and :vice versa, a gear 12' is fixed .to each shaft 43, in mesh with respective gears I l' lkeyed .to a transversely extended shaft NJ. The shaft .1 is revolubly supported' in :bearings -5 mounted upon the sub-frame of the craft. .-Aspur gear 6 is keyed to the shaft l0 positioned .between the, spaced bearings 5 and a rack bar ilsis meshed with the gear .15 upon its lowerperiphery, the rackbar being suitably supported and maintained in mesh withthe gear, in any approved manner. The rack bar 6 includes -agpiston rod3 having-a head 2 recipro-eablydis The cyl- ,posed' within a'master air cylinder l. pipes unovement dependent upon the direction of movement of the piston.

Iii-the retracted position of the landing gear, the-wheelsill will be housed within cowled pocket members 210. on'the cabin, the pockets being open upon their sides as-at 22b, to permit .the wheels to be swung intoand'out of the same.

:It -is of course, important that the pilot shall know justwhat position the landing gear may haveb-een-moved tozand this should be imparted 7 simultaneously with movement of the landing gear. Therefore, a-bevelgear 1 is keyed to the shaft H1 in -mesh with a similargear 8 which may be supported-in any'suitable bearing. The

gear 8 hasfixed thereto a shaft 3 which is suitwith calibrations on they panel to indicatethe' positions of the landing gear, such as ground,

water, or retracted. Afifth wheel 25 is provided upon .the rear of the craft, andisnormally retracted as shown in full'lines inFigure 3, into a central longitudinal pocket 25a beneath the craft. This wheel is a'dapted'to be projected into the dotted line position -shown in-Figure 3when it is desired to taxi.

"The'-'--wheelis journalled on an-axle 3 l carried by valve not shown) I5 and associated y within the cylinder intermediate the pipe conbe seen thatupon a fork 26 from which a post 2! rises. The post Within the bearing '28;

being so tensioned as to normally maintain the wheel 25 in a straight vahead position, but per mitting the same to yield when. striking an obstruction and thereafter "to "return to normal position. The lever 25 and wheel 25 are adapted to be raised and lowered by a piston meansv generally indicated at 22. This means comprises a cylinder pivoted at 220. to the craft, and at opposite endshas pipe connections 35 and 36 to admit .and exhaust air from a suitable control I A piston 23 is reciprocable nections 3E.- 3 6,.and a rod 24 extends therefrom and is pivoted tt re theglever 25'. According to ,the direction of admission ,of-air to thepi'pe connections -46 against the piston 23,:.the

lever .25 will be raised and loweredandthewheel 5 correspondingly raised and lowered. This wheel is also preferably provided with a pneu matic balloon or mushroom tire, as at 33.

,order that ,the vwheel ,25 and lever 25' may be maintained inits raised position, a,clip 34 isse- .ouredto the craft, having splitresilient arms32 between which the bearing. 28 may be engaged.-

.,.Attention is now invited to Figure 10 of the drawings, wherein I haveillustrated diagrammatically the various air lock cylinders '49, the

since the structure of th'e'valve constitutes: the

subject matter of a separate application. The

valve Ylincludes .an air intake port 60, the-air".

(not shown) ,for controlling flow of ,air through the pipes we to the variouscylinders l;9 forfre- .traoting the plungers Waandreleas'ing thearms i 15 for movement to a desiredposition,.andgat operating'lever Bi foractuatin-gasuitable valve the same time .admitzairthrough'thepipe log-to the master cylinder 1 .to cause m ovement ofrthe piston 12 from the positionsC to .the ;poi1it -B ,or ,1} depending upon the degreezof movement-which to be imparted to the rackjoa-n. Ayiurther posb :tiOn Qf'the-operating lever iafi ;will,cause;pipe la to 52116111117 air to -.the;cy1inde-r;;l, the pipejc then acting to exhaust air back to the valve .V. 1

within the cowls 2 la, the pipe la acting as an e'x haust tor the air;--but "when air'is'admitted throughpipe la, the;landing gear will-be moved irom-the retracted position to a vertical orground landing position, the piston'having been movedts from Ato ,C, as indicated inijFigure'fi..

[The valve V willginclude'an intermediate or equalizing position whereby the piston 2 .may be caused to assume theposition. B, (See Figure 5) and-in this position or the .valve,,.the landing gear will be ina [horizontal position such as:re-*

quired for landing upon water, and in thiS";II l( Ji- ;tion ,"there :will be in efiectqcushionedpockets upon opposite sides of-.=the piston '2, reducingjar .and shocks to the landinggear, gearsand rack bar of "the mechanism. IObviously, itheizlanding,

, 35* master cylinder and control valve V. The valve V will be onlyhbriefly described herein to another.

Since the visual indicator means is directly driven from the rack bar 4 by means of the shaft ill, gears 'l- 8 and shafts 9 and 9a the indicator pointer 53 will be moved to indicate the position of the landing gear.

, While I have shown and described a particular embodiment of the invention, this is by Way of illustration only, and I consider as my own all such modifications in structure asffairly fall within the scope of the appended claim.

In an aircraft, an elongated body, spaced bearings on the longitudinal sides of the body, an arm swingably mounted in each bearing, each arm having a revoluble buoyantwheel, a gear segment on each arm, a 'revoluble shaft journalled alongeach longitudinal, side of the body,

a gear on the ends of the shafts in mesh with respective gearsegments, a bevel gear fixed to each shaft, 2. revoluble shaft transversely'of the body, and having a bevel gear in mesh with respective first named bevel gears, a pinion on the transverse shaft, a gear drive associated with the transverse shaft, a Visual indicator means connected to the gear drive, an air cylinder, a

piston therein having a toothed rack bar, the

teeth thereof being in mesh with the pinion of the transverse shaft, said cylinder having a hose connection at the ends for admission and exhaust of air for reciprocating the piston, a notched segment associated with each segmental gear, a cylinder adjacent each arm, each cylinder having a spring-pressed piston, the rod of which is selectively engageable with the notches of the segment, the cylinders having air inlet means below the piston whereby to admit air to release the rod from an engaged notch.

I CHARLES E. WEAVER. 

